[I'm back guys! I'm sorry it took so long for me to update, but I've been a little busy the past few days, which translates to I watched a season and a half of Naruto in two days. (Why Itachi, why?! ToT) Anyway, please enjoy the chapter, and let me know what you think!]

Years passed, and days began to move by in a blur for the future Western Lady. Her days were spent training with Naraku-sama, as he forced her to call him, and lessons with Sango. All her free time was spent with her friends, and Sesshomaru had insisted upon daily meetings in the gardens. She had spoken to Inuyasha a few times, but he was as cold as ever. She had been instant friends with Izayoi, and Toga was one of the kindest adults she'd ever met, despite his having a temper to match Inuyasha's.

As for her training, she was starting to develop muscle, and she wasn't as sore anymore. Naraku insulted her constantly, but she could at least hold her own. Sango had said that she had a better mastery of politics than any man she'd ever met, excluding the Western Lord and his sons of course, and she knew all of the geography like the back of her hand.

She had grown considerably, her child-like form starting to leave her. Her face was more adult, less round than when she had been a child, and all of her baby teeth had fallen out. In short, she was no longer the young girl she had been, and she was beginning to get older.

Everything was going well for Kagome, so it was inevitable. At age thirteen, Kagome got sick. It started with fatigue, which intensified until she began to swoon; then the fits began. She would be extremely sick for a few days, and then all would be well again. No one knew what was wrong, and Kagome was terrified.

It was one of her better days.

"Sango-chan?"

"Yes, milady? Are you alright?"

"Yes, today is a good day. I was wondering if I could go out to meet with Sesshomaru."

"I don't see why not, as long as you are careful."

"I will be!" Kagome said, hopping up from where she sat on the edge of her bed, "Can you pick out something warm for me?"

Sango nodded, leaving quickly and returning with kimonos in hand. Giving them to the young heiress, she went out of the room, leaving Kagome to dress herself, as she liked to. When Kagome finished, she went outside, taking the cloak Sango offered, and walked with Miroku toward the gardens.

Sesshomaru went to the gardens every day. He never knew if she was going to come or not, but he went. He would have visited her in her rooms if not for his pride, so instead, he waited there for her, every single day. When he saw her step through the door, the first time she'd come in over a week, he moved to her side, offering his arm, and smiling on the inside.

She had dismissed Miroku, telling him to go back and guard her rooms. Really she had merely wanted some time with Sesshomaru. While there was no love between them [AN: Yet!], she felt a deep connection to the lordling-turned-heir she had become friends with over the last five years. So, they wandered through the gardens together, slipping out from under the watchful eye of their chaperones.

"How is your health faring?"

"Better," she smiled, "I started to feel better a few days ago, but they kept me in, just to be safe. How are your lessons?"

"Troublesome, as always."

"Oh? Why is that?"

He sighed, "My teacher is a complete imbecile, with no regard for the rights of the people. Or his students for that matter."

She laughed, "Imagine how I feel, training under Naraku. He makes me fight while I'm sick too, so long as I'm not bedridden."

"You have a lesson today, then?"

She sighed, "Yeah. Too bad, too, I wanted to talk with Shippo for a while today."

"Is that the kitsune?"

"Yeah, he's really-"

She stopped, pulling in a ragged breath.

"What is it?"

"My- chest," she managed, "it- hurts. Augh!"

She dropped to her knees, his hands on her shoulders the only thing that kept her from falling face-first into the snow.

"I-" gasp "-can't breathe."

Her eyes widened, her skin paling. She shivered in the November cold.

"Can you walk?" he asked, calm as ever.

"D-don't think so."

He scooped her up without a word, starting to carry her through the gardens.

"Talk to me. Please-" gasp "-Sesshomaru-sama. Tell me a story?"

He nodded, though a tad confused at her request, "Why?"

She closed her eyes, breaths becoming rapid, "So I don't freak out!"

He nodded, "Alright. Once there lived a noble lord. He sought eternal conquest, and wanted nothing to do with the feelings of others. He went to war, but was struck down the moment he entered the battle. He had been strategizing nonstop, and the exhaustion had taken its toll. The lord was dying, and no one could save him. And when he died, he realised-"

"Not to be rude-" gasp "-but could you maybe tell me-" gasp "-a happy story?"

Sesshomaru huffed, "Fine. Once, long ago, a beautiful princess was being forced to marry a man she had never met. This princess was afraid, and ran away. She lived in a forest for many years, traveling with a band of warriors, who taught her to fight. The warriors were challenged by the lord of the land, and entered combat. The princess fought bravely, and she was the only one of her band to reach the lord."

They were halfway back to the palace. Kagome gazed up at the sixteen-year-old lord carrying her, letting his voice distract her from the utter terror brought on by her fits.

"As the princess set eyes on the lord, she fell in love. He felt the same way, and they ended the war. It was only when they were married, that they realised... they had been engaged from the start. And then they lived happily ever after."

She raised a brow, but let her head rest on his chest, "You're not the best story teller."

"Hnn."

"But-" gasp "-thanks."

"Hnn. You are welcome."

Her eyes closed suddenly, and she fainted in his arms. He gazed down at her as he moved through the gardens bringing her back to the doctors. The snow, that he had been ignoring until now, shimmered in her ebony hair, and she seemed to be a kami for as beautiful as she looked. At that moment, the ice prince fell in love.

[Cliffhanger. Sorry if you hate me :) Sesshomaru loves her, but she doesn't love him back (yet). Big stuff coming guys! Woo! Please review, and check out the poll on my profile!]